This National Day holiday was both fulfilling and complicated for me, even carrying a hint of helplessness and danger.
On the first day of the holiday, I thought it would be an ordinary day, having scheduled a TV installation. Before the technician arrived, I didn't pay much attention to the noise that the installation might cause, only thinking about how the whole family could sit down and relax to watch TV after it was set up. However, things turned out to be much more complicated than I imagined. During the installation, drilling was needed; although there was some noise, I thought it was just a minor issue. Yet, during the drilling process, an unexpected incident occurred. The community security guard brought two aggressive elderly people to knock on the door, and upon entering, they directly confronted the technician, even grabbing his toolbox and urging him to leave quickly. My family and I were caught off guard by this sudden scene, not expecting that a routine home installation could provoke such a strong reaction from the neighbors (renovations are not allowed during holidays).
The technician remained calm, clearly accustomed to such situations, and continued to complete the installation at a leisurely pace. However, the elderly man became increasingly agitated, his words growing ruder, and his emotions more intense, eventually leading to a confrontation with the technician. In the scuffle, the technician accidentally bumped his head and ended up sitting on the ground, shouting that he would call the police. After two hours of noise, the police arrived and took me and the technician to the police station. At the station, the officers didn't say much, implying that they wanted the old man to calm down and asked us to step aside, otherwise, it could drag on indefinitely.
All this commotion seemed to be a prelude to the National Day, as unexpected events and twists followed in the coming days.
The next morning, our family set off for a self-driving tour as planned. The destination was Chifeng, and the scenery along the way was nice, with sunlight streaming through the car windows onto my daughter's face. She was laughing excitedly in the back seat, seemingly having forgotten about yesterday's dispute. Upon arriving in Chifeng, we stayed overnight and chose a Mongolian restaurant with good online reviews for dinner, hoping to experience local specialties. However, the actual experience was disappointing; the food was bland, and even the dining environment failed to stimulate our appetites.
On the third day, we continued our journey, heading to Yulong Shahu. Along the way, we saw many cars parked by the roadside, as there were vendors selling watermelons. We stopped to buy one to quench our thirst. My daughter curiously picked a small yellow-fleshed watermelon, but as she was about to weigh it, she accidentally dropped it on the ground. The watermelon split open, and we had no choice but to buy it. Although it was not expensive, at 9 yuan, we found it unripe when we cut it open, tasting more like winter melon, lacking sweetness and moisture, which was quite disappointing.
However, upon reaching Yulong Shahu, my daughter's laughter quickly alleviated the previous disappointment. She ran around in the sand, digging and rolling, completely unable to stop from excitement. Seeing her so happy made my wife and me feel uplifted as well. My daughter dug a big hole with a small shovel and then squatted down, asking us to bury her lower half in the sand, leaving her upper body exposed, smiling at us. That innocent joy made us instantly forget all our worries.
As dusk approached, we drove to Linxi, planning to rest there for the night. However, upon arriving at the hotel we had booked, we encountered yet another unexpected twist. The hotel lobby was on the second floor, resembling a shabby office, with a man and a woman lounging on the sofa, scrolling through their phones. I approached to state my intention to check in, only to be coldly informed that they were fully booked! Hearing this news, I was somewhat annoyed; I had clearly reserved a room in advance, so how could there be none? The staff casually explained, "All hotels in Linxi are full during the National Day period, and prices have risen to over 500 yuan per room, but there are no rooms available. You can contact the booking platform's customer service for assistance." Faced with such an attitude, I felt my anger rising, but realizing they couldn't solve the problem, I had to let it go.
I led my family downstairs and called the customer service of the travel platform. After some description and negotiation, the customer service confirmed that all hotels in the city were fully booked, and the only solution was a refund along with three times the room fee as compensation. I thought, although the money was refunded, surely there must be a room somewhere? So my wife and I began frantically searching for other available hotels on our phones. After a while, we finally found one that still showed availability and quickly placed an order. However, when I called, I was told there was a problem with the software, and there were actually no rooms available.
Just as we were about to end up sleeping on the street, the customer service suddenly delivered good news, saying a chain budget hotel had one room left. I quickly booked it on my phone and drove to the hotel. This hotel was much better than the previous one in terms of facilities and service; the room was clean and tidy, allowing my family to finally get a good night's rest.
However, the travel twists were not over yet. On the morning of the third day, we checked out early, planning to take the Rehe-A and Dada lines to enjoy the journey known as the "most beautiful self-driving route." Just before departure, while checking the vehicle, I discovered that the right front tire was bulging! The new car had only been driven for over 6,000 kilometers, and I never expected to encounter such a problem. I was both anxious and hurried, especially in this unfamiliar county, where the issue couldn't be resolved quickly. I immediately contacted the dealership, and the salesperson coordinated with a dealership in Chifeng to help replace the tire, but the car needed to be towed there. This would greatly affect our upcoming itinerary, so I decided to first find a local tire shop in Linxi.
The tire shop owner informed me that they didn't have my tire model and would need to source it from Chifeng, which wouldn't arrive until the afternoon at the earliest. This left me in a dilemma, and I quickly contacted several nearby tire shops, but all replied that they were out of stock. In desperation, I contacted the dealership again, and fortunately, they had the tire in stock, but it was significantly more expensive than at the tire shop. Ultimately, I chose to have the dealership send the tire over, and luckily they found a driver who was traveling from Chifeng to Linxi to bring the tire.
We used the waiting time to casually stroll around the city and had a bowl of noodles, which slightly eased our mood. Around 1 PM, the driver contacted me, saying he was almost in Linxi, so I immediately returned to the tire shop to wait for the tire change. By around 2 PM, the tire was finally replaced, and the weight on my mind was finally lifted.
After resolving the tire issue in Linxi, my anxiety gradually dissipated as we hit the road again. We continued along the Rehe-A and Dada lines, a route renowned for its magnificent natural scenery, often praised by countless self-driving enthusiasts as a route with stunning views. At this moment, the sunlight bathed the vast grasslands and rolling mountains, and the scenery outside the car window seemed like a flowing painting, constantly revealing new vistas with the change in speed.
However, like other popular routes during the holiday, the road conditions on the Rehe-A line were not ideal. Shortly after we started driving, we encountered a traffic jam. The line of cars twisted and stalled, causing my previously relaxed mood to become a bit anxious again. But when we stopped and looked out the window, what greeted us was a vast expanse of wilderness and distant mountains, instantly calming my heart. Since we couldn't move forward for the time being, we decided to get out of the car, relax a bit, and enjoy this unexpected short break.
Once outside, the cool autumn breeze gently brushed against us, seemingly taking away some of the travel fatigue. My daughter, as always, was full of energy, bouncing around and playing by the roadside. We watched her chase her shadow on the grass while enjoying the surrounding natural scenery. The distant mountains gradually turned a light golden color under the evening glow, and the vastness of the grassland intertwined with the boundlessness of the sky, as if the whole world was enveloped in this tranquil beauty.
Taking advantage of my daughter's enjoyment, we also took out our phones to capture the beauty of the moment. We photographed the distant scenery and my daughter's laughter on the grass, and that moment of tranquility and warmth seemed to wash away all the twists and troubles. The gentle breeze of the grassland carried a faint scent, and birds occasionally flew by in the distant sky, making one marvel at the wonders of nature.
After driving through the magnificent scenery of the Rehe-A line, we arrived at the Dada line. Unlike the Rehe-A line, the Dada line was broader, and the scenery appeared more rugged and bold. As the sky gradually darkened, the vehicles on the road were no longer congested, and the wide road seemed to belong solely to us, guiding us toward a brand new world. Outside the window, the distant hills stretched endlessly, the horizon and skyline almost merging into one, as the sunset bathed the land, making the whole world seem incredibly peaceful.
Along the Dada line, we discovered a grassland horse ranch. My daughter excitedly pulled our hands, insisting on riding a horse, as this was her first opportunity to interact with real grassland horses. So, we decided to stop the car and experience an unusual grassland horseback ride.
Standing on the vast grassland, the horses around us were tall and strong, gently lowering their heads to graze on the grass. My daughter looked at the horses with curiosity and anticipation in her eyes. The staff at the ranch brought over a gentle pony, specially prepared for her. I carefully lifted her onto the horse's back; at first, she was a bit nervous, gripping the reins tightly, her expression somewhat stiff. But as the horse began to move forward slowly, she gradually relaxed and started to enjoy it. She gently patted the horse's neck and laughed, saying, "Riding a horse is so much fun!" Seeing her smile filled us with a sense of satisfaction.
The grassland was vast and boundless, with only the distant mountains and clouds accompanying us. The sound of hooves echoed in the quiet grassland, carrying a leisurely rhythm. We also rode the horses ourselves, experiencing this unique grassland ride. At that moment, it felt as if we had merged with nature, leaving all worries and pressures behind, with only the vastness of the grassland, the rhythm on horseback, and inner peace remaining.
As we left the ranch, my daughter reluctantly looked back at the little horse that had accompanied her through such a wonderful time, continuously murmuring that she wanted to come back to ride again. We exchanged smiles at her eager expression. The innocence and satisfaction of a child added countless beautiful memories to our journey.
As the sun gradually set in the west, the sky darkened, and we returned to the car, continuing along the Dada line. All the way, the night slowly descended, and the distant mountains gradually faded into the darkness, but the satisfaction and tranquility in our hearts remained. The grandeur of the Dada line and the vastness of the grassland made this segment of the journey particularly special. After experiencing so many twists and turns, it felt as if everything at this moment was a compensation.
On the evening of the 4th, we finally arrived at the Ulan Butong Scenic Area and checked into a hotel within the area. The fatigue of the journey slowly dissipated in the cool night breeze, and the tranquility and vastness of Ulan Butong allowed us to catch our breath from the disturbances of the past few days. Although the hotel at night lacked the hustle and bustle of the city, its simplicity and peace were exactly what we craved at that moment.
The next morning, we welcomed another highlight of this trip—the self-driving tour of Ulan Butong Grassland. The vastness of the grassland unfolded before our eyes, with the skyline and horizon seemingly connected in the endless distance. However, the autumn vibe on the grassland was strong; the originally lush green grass had gradually lost its vitality, presenting a yellow-brown hue, full of signs of impending winter. Although the grass had turned yellow and lacked some of the summer's vibrancy, the grandeur of nature still captivated us.
We drove across the grassland, the sky a deep blue, and the wind brought a slight chill, refreshing our spirits. Although the grassland was desolate, it had a unique charm, and the vastness of the land gave us an indescribable sense of freedom. My daughter excitedly shouted from the car, "Look at that mountain over there, it's so high!" So, we decided to climb a not-too-high mountain. As we slowly ascended the path, the surrounding scenery gradually unfolded before us, and as we gained height, the vastness of the grassland slowly came into view.
Upon reaching the top of the mountain, we paused to fully appreciate the scenery before us. The sunlight bathed the earth, and the distant mountains rolled in waves; although it was already late autumn, we could still feel the strength and embrace of this land. We took a few photos at the summit to capture this rare moment.
On the way down, we chose a gentler path instead of retracing our steps. The slope was not steep, and the soil beneath our feet made a rustling sound. My daughter ran and jumped along the mountain path, having a great time. She occasionally picked up small stones, laughing and saying, "Dad, Mom, I found a treasure!" Looking at her innocent smile, the fatigue of the past few days seemed to vanish in that moment. Although the Ulan Butong grassland lacked the summer's lushness, the tranquility of autumn allowed our family to experience a rare sense of peace and serenity.
After enjoying ourselves, we continued on our way, driving towards Saihanba. Saihanba, I had heard of its beauty on television long ago, but only by being there did I truly feel its shock and magnificence. Traveling through the Saihanba Scenic Area, the surrounding forests resembled a natural painting, with layers of trees displaying autumn colors of yellow, red, and green, creating a beautiful autumn scene, the trees' distinct layers resembling waves on the earth, rising and falling with the wind.
The car traveled along the small paths in the forest; we didn't stop for long, but the sights before us were etched in our hearts. From a distance, the dense woods piled upon one another, and as the autumn wind blew, yellow leaves floated down, as if time stood still at that moment. We traversed through this beautiful sea of trees; although the schedule was tight, the grandeur of Saihanba and the greatness of nature constantly amazed me. Compared to the clips on television, being there was even more breathtaking.
In the evening, we arrived in Chengde and checked into the Hilton Garden Inn. The comfort and spaciousness of the hotel swept away the fatigue of the journey. For dinner, we found a nearby small restaurant specializing in sheep soup from Pingquan. This dinner had a unique flavor, especially for my daughter, who felt warm after finishing a bowl of sheep soup. She enjoyed it so much that she also ate quite a bit of the sheep offal, and her satisfied expression made us unable to help but laugh. That simple happiness was the most precious moment of our journey.
By the 6th, this self-driving trip was nearing its end. We drove back to Tianjin early in the morning, originally thinking that the 3 to 4-hour journey would be an easy return home, but unexpectedly encountered a traffic jam on the Changshen Expressway. We were stuck not far from the Tangshan West rest area, unable to move. The flow of cars was completely still, and we spent nearly an hour in the car waiting. My daughter dozed off in the car, occasionally letting out soft snores, while the sunset slowly sank outside the window, casting its glow on the traffic, appearing somewhat helpless yet beautiful.
Finally, the traffic jam ended, and around 6 PM, we finally returned to our familiar home. The first thing we did was wash the car, cleaning off the dust and fatigue from the journey, as if putting a period at the end of this trip. Standing in front of our window, watching the night deepen, my heart was filled with memories of these past few days. Although the National Day holiday was fraught with twists and turns, it was also filled with unexpected surprises and warm moments. Whether it was the vastness of the grassland, the cool breeze in the mountains, the autumn forest sea of Saihanba, or my daughter's carefree laughter, all of these will become precious memories in my heart.
The journey has ended, but the memories remain vivid, guiding us into the next unknown chapter of life.